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Monday, October 31, 2016

Woah, tomorrow is November. Which means Thanksgiving, which means Christmas, which means 2017. Well, that certainly escalated quickly. Please tell me I'm not alone with my thought process. I don't know what it is, but November and December always fly by! Any who, here's a round up of all of the things I've been loving in the month of October.

Randoms

my 1st fave has to be my new car! (well new to me, haha!) but it's all mine and I couldn't be happier!

HOCKEY is back. The Rangers have been playing like a new team that's out for blood and honestly nothing makes me happier.

My leather baseball cap. Which is the same one Jaclyn Hill has (I only know this because I bought it off of the link she had in her video)

Salted Caramel anything-this is my version of pumpkin spice. I just can't get enough. The Dunkin SC hot chocolate is the bomb.com

Twisted Palace by Erin Watt-was there any question? If you haven't been ruined by the Royals yet, do yourself a favor and download Paper Princess on a Friday and make no plans for the weekend...cause Ella, Reed, and the crew will be all the plans you need!

Makeup

Milk Highlighter-I've been using this under any powder highlight to make sure that it pops to be seen from space.

Maybelline Push Up Drama mascara-this one is a bit of a wild card for me. I don't really love the brush, it's thin and sparse. But the formula makes my lashes dark and long, so everything I'm looking for in a mascara.

Kylie Cosmetics matte lipstick in Koko K-do I really even need to add this to the list? It's a staple and has become my signature shade

dnfd Co Face Mask-this face mask is a gem. The formula is thick and has very little smell. It leaves my skin feeling so smooth and healthy after each use. Definitely check this brand out! *a big thanks to the founder, Ali for sending a sample to me :)

Let me know what your fave products in October were in the comments, XO!

Saturday, October 29, 2016

I’ve always wanted a flannel. I know that probably
sounds weird, but I really have. I’ve never pulled the trigger and
bought one cause I always thought it was country or I couldn’t pull it
off. Well a few weeks ago at Marshall’s, I found the cutest, warmest flannel ever. For $16.99! So I knew
this was it and I couldn’t pass it up!

I paired this red, black, and white flannel with
skinny jeans from Old Navy. For accessories, I went with slouchy brown
booties from Joe Boxer and a black crossbody Chloe knockoff from Rainbow
(seriously, check out their bags, so inexpensive!)
and of course hoop earrings…cause Jaclyn Hill wore a flannel with hoops
on her IG once (or twice or maybe a couple of hundred times) and well I’m a copycat. Oh and no day is complete
without my new favorite sunnies from Quay Australia.

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

After rushing to the altar and moving across the country, Harper Duquaine (or is it MacLaughlin, now?) is in uncharted territory. What once seemed like a promising opportunity to advance her husband’s career while giving her some much-needed independence and adventure has proven to be a bust. By the time fall rolls around again, she’s back in a boring job by day and overstocking her inventory of crocheted scarves by night. Not even the prospect of a new football season holds much excitement.

At least that’s what she thought. Harper suddenly finds herself the manager of not one but two fantasy football teams—each with its own set of drama. Between the added pressure of her new marriage, an unexpected career prospect, and the hiccups created by people from her past and present worlds, Harper quickly finds herself going from bored to overwhelmed.

Can she hold up under the pressure, or will Harper learn the hard way that the turf isn’t always greener on the other field?

*** BARGAIN ALERT *** To celebrate the new release, for a limited time, you can pick up the first two stories in the series for only 99 cents each. EBooks First & Goal and Going for Two are available for only 99 cents each. ***

In Laura Chapman’s Queen of the League series, Harper Duquaine joins a fantasy football league to prove she can hang with the guys. Only problem: she doesn’t know a sleeper from a keeper (or any of the other lingo thrown her way). Her competitive streak soon emerges, and she catches the interest of her top two competitors. With a slew of conflicting advice in her real and fantasy worlds, Harper must figure out how to play the game and come out a winner.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

“Phoebe Fox makes us fall in love with an entire family, a whole cast of
characters, and love itself. Painfully, hilariously relatable.” – Dr.
Duana C. Welch, Author of Love Factually: 10 Proven Steps from I Wish to
I Do “Out of Practice, carrying on the great tradition of the Breakup
Doctor series, is the kind of book that will have you dialing your
girlfriends so you can read sections out loud. Vivid, true, and
frequently comedic. Goes down as a favorite finale.” – MM Finck, Women
Writers, Women’s Books “Fresh, funny, and real—I adored it!” – Beth
Kendrick, author of The Cure for the Common Breakup “As heartwarming as
they are humorous—Fox’s books offer more than the usual chick lit fare,
with a lot of heart and a smart, relatable heroine in Breakup Doctor
Brook Ogden.” — Sarah Bird, Author of The Boyfriend School “Phoebe
Fox’s books are like a box of fine chocolates. Not to be eaten quickly
but to be savored and enjoyed.” – Fresh Fiction “Fox has given us
characters that are lovably fallible, funny, and frazzled, and has
proven that when it comes to love and relationships of any kind, even
the sanest of us get a little crazy.” — Elisa Lorello, Bestselling
Author of Why I Love Singlehood “Therapist Brook Ogden is a genius
when it comes to helping people push past the crazy stage and mend their
broken hearts, but when Brook suffers her own heartbreak, will she take
her own advice? (Answer: no, which is why this book is so funny.)” –
Glamour (on The Breakup Doctor) When your relationship is on life
support, the Breakup Doctor is on call. There’s no shortage of broken
hearts in Breakup Doctor Brook Ogden’s successful breakup counseling
practice—if love is a battlefield, then Brook is the cavalry. Luckily
her own love life is in full recovery: after a long, tortuous road, she
and Ben Garrett are finally headed down the aisle. But when a local TV
personality—and former frenemy—invites Brook onto her show, she’s
blindsided live on the air when the interview turns into an act of
long-delayed revenge meant to publicly humiliate her. Brook’s an expert
at getting back on your feet when life knocks you down, but as the blows
keep piling on—with a betrayal she never saw coming and a family crisis
that threatens to pull the foundation out from under her—her confidence
starts slinking away. With her clients dropping her faster than a
one-night stand, suddenly the Breakup Doctor’s career is in critical
care. Brimming with both the sublime and ridiculous aspects of
love—romantic and otherwise—Out of Practice is a funny and heartwarming
tale about loss, grief, and failure that will resonate with all who have
loved, lost…and dared to love again. Related subjects include: book
club recommendations, dating advice, women’s friendship and sisterhood,
humorous fiction, women’s fiction, chick lit romantic comedy, rom com,
funny romance. Books in The Breakup Doctor Chick Lit Series: • THE
BREAKUP DOCTOR (#1) • BEDSIDE MANNERS (#2) • HEART CONDITIONS (#3) •
OUT OF PRACTICE (#4) Part of the Henery Press Chick Lit Collection, if
you like one, you'll probably like them all...

Review:

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I'm a pretty big fan of this series, so I was really excited to see the 4th and final book was here. This is a pretty true to chick lit tale with drama, laughs, love, and heartbreaks (of course, she's a breakup doctor). I could definitely see this series as a tv show! It's gives you so much and it all feels real, like it could be happening to you or your friends. This is a great chick lit starter series, with the final book being a 4.5 star read. I'm bummed that Brook's story has come to end, but I'm excited to see what Phoebe gives us next, xo!

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Blurb...
Life for sixteen year old Savannah Franks has just been turned upside
down. Her Mum’s business has failed and they’re forced to move into a
maisonette in the rough end of town.

She doesn’t want anyone to know her dire situation, not
even her besties. So when the rest of the money for the school ski trip
is due she can’t be seen not to attend. Everyone is going! She just
needs to find a job. Add that to the list of getting a boyfriend and
losing her pathetic virginity.

But working every spare hour in a job she hates on top of
school work and mounting secrets doesn’t prove easy. Soon she’s keeping
so many she’s not even sure herself what’s true and what’s not.

The only person she can lean on to tell the truth is her best friend Heath.

Only…did he get hot recently? That won’t make things awkward between
them…right?

ReviewI received this book in exchange for an honest review. This is such a cute story. It will make you smile and laugh and will hook you until the end. This story screams high school dramedy, it could easily the start of a movie script. If you enjoy really well written, new adult novels that will have you reflecting on your HS years, check out this 4 star read, xo!

About Laura Barnard
Laura Barnard lives in Hertfordshire, UK and writes romantic comedy or
'chick lit' as its so often described. In her spare time she enjoys
drinking her body weight in tea, indulging in cupcakes the size of her
face and drooling over hunks like Jamie Dornan, Ryan Gosling and Leo
Dicaprio.

She enjoys wearing yoga pants and reading fitness magazines
while sitting on the sofa eating chocolate. She's a real fan of the
power nap and of course READING!

She writes not to get rich or famous, but because she LOVES
writing. Even if one person tells her they enjoyed her book it makes
the midnight typing worth it!

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Belinda & Bennett get
caught in a battle of wills in an effort to help a new heiress who’s inherited
from a woman she never knew. And it looks like someone wants her out of the
way. After a man is killed on her property, it will take digging through an old
house–and a family full of secrets–to unmask a killer, and a decades-old
mystery.

Amy is a sci-fi/mystery addict with a soft
spot for humor and romance. She lives in Massachusetts, and loves to bake and
watch movies. Learn more about Amy and her books at http://amysaundersauthor.com.

Monday, October 17, 2016

If you’re going to fall
off a catwalk and into someone’s arms, you could do a lot worse than choosing
handsome Sam Montgomery’s, star of the hottest sci fi show on TV. So when
twenty-four year old Grace Mortimer does just that, her life is turned upside
down.

Sam is gorgeous, funny, and too sexy for words.
But he’s got a girlfriend, America’s newest sweetheart, the very beautiful TV
star Vanessa Hudson. With his Hollywood lifestyle he’s got to be a no-fly zone,
that’s for sure. So why does he insist on being Grace’s knight in shining
armor? And why can’t she stop her legs turning to jelly every time he’s around?

Just as her new career is about to take off, a
disastrous TV appearance sends her spinning—right back into Sam’s arms again,
the one place she shouldn’t be.

Escape to beautiful New Zealand in this sexy,
feel-good romantic comedy.

Review

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I love a likeable, funny lead character and that's exactly what you get with Grace. This story reminded me of a weekly sitcom that you couldn't wait to tune into to get your laughs and catch up with your fictional friend. Falling for Grace is the perfect little chick lit escape, the author does a great job of setting the scene. I recommend this 4 star book to anyone who needs a new lighthearted series, xo!

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

I've always been a fan of Jenny Claire Fox aka missjenfabulous on YouTube. She does amazing nail tutorials, makeup recommendation, and I love her vlogmas. So when I saw she teamed up with Ulta to put out Miss Fabulous a perfect fall palette I had to check it out. I picked it up about a month ago and have been using it every time I glammed ever since.

My personal faves from the palette are Fab, Arizona, Guru, and Frankie.

To get the look above, I took Fab and used that all in my crease working in windshield wiper motions from outer to inner corner. Next, I work in Coco in to the out crease of my eye, not bringing it all the way in. Then I went in with Mitten on the outer corner working in a v with the bottom of the v going towards my ear. Then I took Latte and patted that over the center of my lid and into Mitten. Last but not least, I used Virgo as my inner corner and brow bone.

To achieve the look below I used both the Miss Fabulous palette and Urban Decay's Naked 3.

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Holly Johansson knows some things in her life are certain after college
graduation: 1.) It’s a long road to becoming a full-time author. 2.)
She’ll need to work to pay her bills. 3.) And Dallas Demons superstar
Matt Rhinelander will never return her feelings.

Holly knows her
unrequited crush on the partying hockey player is ridiculous. There’s no
way Matt would be attracted to a woman who prefers watching TV or
reading books when he’s known for his frequent bar hops and fast
lifestyle. Obviously he would never see her as anything other than his
teammate’s little sister.

Yet Holly is drawn to the other side of
Matt—the man she knows has always been thoughtful and easy to talk to
whenever she’s been alone with him. It is this Matt that fueled the
crush Holly has on him. And she knows it will always be just that—a
secret crush.

Or will it?

Because when Matt helps Holly
through a crisis, her heart begins to believe that there might be
feelings on his part, too. After a night of hard partying puts Matt in
jeopardy with the Dallas Demons, can Holly be the one to save him? And
when Matt admits he sees her as more than Nate Johansson’s sister, will
it put them both on thin ice?

Monday, October 10, 2016

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. First, let me just say I know that brief summary is kinda bogus, but honestly, it's all you need. Second, this cover is absolute PERFECTION. And third, let's get into this review, shall we? I signed up for an ARC in August knowing they wouldn't be ready until a week or two before the actual release and I already pre-ordered TP, so if I didn't get it no biggie. Well, after checking my email ALL DAY on Thursday when I opened it and it was there I gasped and got tears in my eyes. I honestly was so happy that I got picked to read and review this highly anticipated book (I'm part of The Royal Palace group on fb...trust me people were offering unborn children for an ARC.) Twisted Palace is a bumpy ride, there's really high highs that will leave you breathless and really low lows that will leave you speechless. The secrets, twists, turns, and everything in between really make this third book worth every bit of hype. Jen and Elle aka Erin really out did themselves. It's not often that a third book can real live up to the other 2 books and Twisted Palace does just that. I also believe that the 3rd books in a triology should leave you wanting more even if you have answers, and TP doesn't disappoint. The Royals series is definitely my favorite series of the year and one I will reread for years to come. You just can't shake Reed Royal, his character is the ultimate book boyfriend and one can only hope Erin will write more books* that will be as captaviting as the world she creates with The Royals. I recommend this 5 star book because it's the frosting on an already perfect cake, xo!

*which a little birdie told me could be Easton Royal's story coming in 2017 ;)

Secrets of the Suburbs is
the story of Lindsey, a 42 year-old suburban mom who seems to have it all –
doctor husband, two great kids, satisfying part-time work; all the spin
classes, shopping and lunches she can fit into her busy schedule.

But when a drunken moment with her friend’s
husband opens up a well of desire, excitement and emotion that she didn’t even
know existed, it throws her perfectly perfect life into turmoil. Because as
Lindsey opens her heart and body to this forbidden passion; her eyes open as
well, and she is forced to take a closer look at her life, her marriage and
herself.

Already her friends are starting to whisper, her
husband is growing suspicious and there is a Secrets of the Shore Facebook page
that just may be talking about her.

Will Lindsey stay in her safe, pretty world with
her seemingly perfect husband who just might have secrets of his own, or will
she break every rule and follow her heart?

Whatever she decides, she'd better figure it out
fast because in small town suburbia nothing stays secret for very long.

Sexy and engaging, with characters who seem like
friends and issues that make you think about marriage, satisfaction and the
lines we draw, Secrets of the Suburbs is the perfect book to curl up with next
to your (sweet) snoring husband.

Review:

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. This story is like Gossip Girl meets Desperate Housewives, so if you like either of those things, this is for you! I knew from reading the summary that I would like this book, but the little FB posts really took it over the top. As much as I enjoyed the concept, there was times I wanted a little bit more from the writing and the characters. Secrets in the Suburbs is a quick, easy 3.5 star weekend read, xo!

About the AuthorAlisa Schindler is a SAHM of three boys and wife to Mr. Baseball. In between schlepping to the ball fields and burning cupcakes, she chronicles the sweet and bittersweet of life in the suburbs on her blog icescreammama.com. Her essays have been featured online in the Washington Post, NYT, Scary Mommy, Kveller, Parents, Brain, Child, and Good Housekeeping, among others. Random nights, she can be found hiding in the closet with a pint of ice cream and a good book.

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Well since it's a new month, that means
you can expect at least 2 posts from me; monthly faves and a goals
list! I've decided to theme mine around this beautiful month of October,
so in no particular order, here we go...

• watch at least 4 scary movies I've
never seen before. It's no secret I adore scary/horror/thriller films,
so I'm going to embrace that and expand my "movies I've seen list".

• make a Halloween craft! Idk what it will be, but I gotta make something. Leave your ideas in the comments :)

• come up with 2 Halloween themed recipes and post them here. I already have one and it's super easy, so stay tuned!

• do a Halloween makeup look and post
it! This one makes me nervous I'm not gonna lie, but I'm so inspired by
the looks I've been seeing on IG, especially @beautybyjulia check her
out-she SLAYS.

• take some outfit ideas outside! I love the way the leaves look, so I need to use my surroundings!

• and one thing I absolutely won't be
doing...listening to "Nightmare on my street" by Fresh Prince &
Jazzy Jeff. Nope, not happening.

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

This may be the smallest monthly
favorites ever. It could be because I don't have that many favorites
this month or I totally lost my faves list. You can draw your own
conclusion...

Smile Brilliant- this little teeth
whitening system has changed my nightly routine and my pearly whites.
The easy 2 step system with the custom fitter trays has made all the
difference will my smile. To save 5% use my code: polishedandbubbly5

Kylie Cosmetics matte lipstick in Koko
K-ughhhhh I die for this shade. I even just picked up the gloss. It's
definitely my signature shade.

Opi in Suzi-the First Lady of Nails-
duh, green polishes are my fave polishes. I adore a good army green and
this beauty doesn't disappoint. I can't wait to wear it again!

Stellar lightening systems- go diva
phone ring light- one day I'll have a real ring light. Until then, this
little baby will do. It's also only $20 so you don't need to break the
bank on a Lumee case

Fantasy football- I've been having so
much fun with fantasy. It's definitely a love hate relationship, but
that's just sports. I'm officially 2-2 and will be making a playoff
run...well I hope. *ps-I wrote this before the week was over so let's
hope my opponent Kelsey doesn't beat me.

All The Rage by Courtney Summers-I know
the review went up yesterday, but technically I read this in September.
I highly recommend this book. You can read my review here

What were some of your favorites in the month of September? Let me know in the comments, xo!

Monday, October 3, 2016

Named a "Best Book of 2015" by Bustle, Book Riot, Chicago Public Library, Quill and Quire, and the B&N Teen Blog!
The
sheriff's son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he
is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact. Because no one wants to believe
a girl from the wrong side of town, the truth about him has cost her
everything―friends, family, and her community. Branded a liar and
bullied relentlessly by a group of kids she used to hang out with,
Romy's only refuge is the diner where she works outside of town. No one
knows her name or her past there; she can finally be anonymous. But when
a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party,
and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out,
Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of
knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn't speak up. Nobody
believed her the first time―and they certainly won't now―but the cost of
her silence might be more than she can bear.
With a shocking conclusion and writing that will absolutely knock you out, Courtney Summers' new novel All the Rage examines the shame and silence inflicted upon young women in a culture that refuses to protect them.

Review:

3 ways you know you just read a 5 star book.

1-you can't stop thinking about the characters after "the end".

2-you
already can't wait until you read the book again. Cause now you know
how you'll remember the way it affected you the first time and what
details you want to absorb more the second time.

3-you purchase another book by the author immediately.

I
had this happen to me after I finished All The Rage by Courtney
Summers. Romy's story sucked me in and didn't spit me out when it was
over. I was hooked from the nail polish routine-of course!-but it's more
than that. I felt connected to Romy. I understood why she needed to
identify with the old version of herself. All The Rage is dark,
gripping, and holds a big purpose. The story really should be read by
teenage girls, even if it helps just one speak up for herself. I'm not
one to give out spoilers so I'll leave it at that. But this is a book I
would suggest to book clubs to get the conversation started and going. I
can't say enough good things about the author's writing style. She
tells the story in a way that forces you to pay complete attention and
read every word. All The Rage is really a 6 star book, but 5 is all you
can give on Amazon, xo!